Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel had just made clear his loyalties for the Tour of Alberta.

“I hope a Canadian wins,” Mandel said. “I know I shouldn’t say that, but I hope a Canadian wins.”

Whether politically correct, Mandel was echoing the sentiments of hundreds of cycling enthusiasts who packed city hall to watch the opening press conference for the inaugural TOA, which begins with the prologue Tuesday in the Alberta capital.

The 120-rider field will feature around 20 Canadians, none more accomplished than 2012 Giro d’Italia winner Hesjedal, and Bell, the reigning Canadian national road race champ.

While neither are necessarily the odds-on favourite to win the five-stage event that concludes Sunday in Calgary — that honour seems to be reserved for Slovakian sensation Peter Sagan — Hesjedal and Bell are certainly the favourite riders of the thousands of fans who will line the course to cheer on their Canadian heroes over the next six days.

“It’s incredible to have an event like this in Canada,” said the 32-year-old Hesjedal, who is from Victoria. “I’ve been waiting patiently for it this season and watching it come to fruition, so here we are. We have an incredible field here, incredible athletes, so everyone’s ready to do what we do.”

The TOA is particularly meaningful for Bell, 30. The Watson Lake, Yukon, native began his cycling career in Calgary, and regularly competed in Edmonton. He’s previously raced parts of the prologue course, which is a 7.3-km jaunt through downtown Edmonton and the city’s river valley.

“It’s a pretty rare thing for us to come from Canada,” said Bell, who competes for the Champion System Pro Cycling team. “To be able to race in the Maple leaf in front of the hometown crowd for a whole week is just going to be phenomenal ... I think we have a pretty good team to fly the colours and hopefully we can make something interesting happen.”

This has already been a banner season for Bell, who has stage wins at the Tour de Korea and Tour de Taiwan to go with his Canadian championship.

Fate hasn’t been as kind this season to Hesjedal, who is just one year removed from becoming the first Canadian to win a Grand Tour event. Injuries have slowed the Garmin-Sharp rider, who competed with a broken rib in the Tour de France last month, wobbling to a 70th place finish.

“You keep pushing, that’s what you do,” said Hesjedal. “You keep fighting and sometimes I probably should have stopped earlier, but I’m just happy to be here.

“I’m in good health, I feel good and we’ll see how the form is on the road and try to make the best out of it.”

As Canadian riders go for broke in the first edition of TOA, a future Canuck cycling star or two just might be watching roadside.

“It gives the young people an opportunity to see the riders we have and what they’re capable of …” Bell said. “With the athletes being right there in their backyard, the next generation of athletes will be able to meet cyclists, and that’s going to do nothing but great things for the sport in Canada.”

Canadian riders go for broke at inaugural Tour of Alberta

Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel had just made clear his loyalties for the Tour of Alberta.

“I hope a Canadian wins,” Mandel said. “I know I shouldn’t say that, but I hope a Canadian wins.”

Whether politically correct, Mandel was echoing the sentiments of hundreds of cycling enthusiasts who packed city hall to watch the opening press conference for the inaugural TOA, which begins with the prologue Tuesday in the Alberta capital.

The 120-rider field will feature around 20 Canadians, none more accomplished than 2012 Giro d’Italia winner Hesjedal, and Bell, the reigning Canadian national road race champ.

While neither are necessarily the odds-on favourite to win the five-stage event that concludes Sunday in Calgary — that honour seems to be reserved for Slovakian sensation Peter Sagan — Hesjedal and Bell are certainly the favourite riders of the thousands of fans who will line the course to cheer